2016-11-02

The Cubs, down 3-1 and facing a freshly healed Trevor Bauer, have come back. Game Seven, the most exciting two words in sport (the least exciting two words? "golfing season"), is tonight from Cleveland Indiany McIndianFace Field in Cleveland, Ohio.

As the series lengthened, the Cubs advantage in their deeper starting lineup has begun to show itself. Kluber is pitching tonight, on short rest for the second consecutive start.

Short rest didn't bother Kluber on Saturday for Game 4, but it definitely factored into Josh Tomlin's short stint last night. The Cubs have been able to play their starters on full rest, and tonight they will play Hendricks (best ERA in the majors in 2016) on five days rest. However, the Cubs also have John Lackey available on short rest (he dueled with Kluber in Game 4), so if it's a close game and/or extra innings, the Cubs have a second starter available to come in relief...one with the second-lowest ERA in all of MLB in 2016.

So the Indians have their backs against the wall. Cubs have the momentum, and Indians haven't tended to do well in the city...they abandoned the region in 1640, it stayed that way until whites moved in a century later.